What Affect Lower Grade Learner's Perceived Usefulness and Perceived Ease of Use of Mobile Digital Textbook Learning System? An Empirical Factor Analyses Investigation in China

Abstract

Although perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use are two important factors which could directly influence the acceptance of technology and actual usage for digital textbook, less attention has been paid to children’s mobile digital textbook usage. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate and empirically validate the perceived usefulness and the perceived ease of use by elementary school students during their usage of digital textbook. For data analyses, two questionnaires were developed using existing scales from prior TAM instruments. The sample of this study included 5,245 elementary school students in China who have experience of using digital textbook. The results indicate that students believe that using mobile digital textbook enhance their study performance, but they believe it is not very easy to use. Besides, gender, grade and parents’ attitudes towards mobile digital textbook affect the usage. Gender differences exist only in the perceived ease of use. Male students make less effort in using mobile digital textbook than female students. In addition, the students in lower grades tend to have more positive perspectives on mobile digital textbook than the students in higher grades. Furthermore, mobile digital textbook usage experience (time & frequency) has a significant effect on the students’ perceived usefulness. Finally, parents’ attitudes towards mobile digital textbook influence their children’s perceived usefulness.